Elastic band



Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

lAtLZES GEORGE DEKOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILL INOT S.

ELASTIC BAND.

Application filed. August 17, 1922' Serial No.582,416.

T 0 (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Dnrrorr, a citizen of Russia, who has madeapplication for naturalization asa citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois. haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic Bands, of whichthe f0llowing is a specification.

This invention relates to endless elastic bands such as are extensivelyused for loosely clamping or binding together papers, pocket books andother articles, and has for its main object to provide an elastic bandof more durable and permanent construction than similar articles now inuse.

Bands of this character are for the most part made entirely of rubber orloosely woven fabric with rubber incorporated therein and, as is wellknown, are shortlived on account of deterioration of the rubber and lossof elasticity, especially when under tension. 1

The main object of the present invention is to provide an elastic bandto serve the same general purposes as ordinary rubber bands, which shallbe characterized by a greater degree of permanency and durability.

Another object is to provide a band of superior strength and facility ofapplication and removal to the package or other article embracedthereby, as compared with the ordinary rubber band. 7

A still further object, attained by the preferred form of the inventionherein shown and described, is to provide, in an all metal band, a.means for limiting the stretch of the elastic elements so as to pre ventdanger of breakage or stretching the same beyond their elastic limit.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparentto persons skilled in the art as the same becomes better understood byreference to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated apractical and preferred embodiment of the principle of the invention,and in which- Fig. 1 is a. perspective elevation of a package of sheetsembraced and held together by my improved elastic band applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved band, showing the same stretched tothe limit permitted by the stretch-limiting elements thereof; and 1 Fig.3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in longitudingal secti'onthrou'ghone of the coupling or connecting members and the cooperating endportions of the elastic and non-elastic elements of the band.

Referring to the drawing,'5' designates as an entirety each of a pair-offlexible nonelastic elements, 6 each of a pair of flexible and elasticelements, and 7 each of two pairs of coupling or connecting elementsthrough which the elastic and non-elastic elements are united end toend. The non elastic elements 5 are shown inthe present instance asconsisiting of sections ofwhat is known as head chain, 'comprising'afine thread or wire 8 on which are rotatably mounted a group of hollow mal b 11 The elastic elements 6 consist of closely coiled steel tensionsprings, and the coupling or connecting members 7 COIlSlSt' of metalsleeves or ferrules. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the end ball 9isentered in one end of the sleeve 7, and the corresponding end portionof'the latter is bent or swaged inwardly behind the said ballasshown at10, to strongly and'effectively lock the ball 'within thesleeve' The endportion of the spring 6 is entered in the opposite end of the sleeve,and'the corresponding portion of the lattertis bent or. swaged inwardlybetween adjacent coils of the spring, as shown at 11, therebyeffectively locking the spring to the sleeve. 7 The structure asthus'far described constitutes an elasticband embodying the broadventing destruction of the springs 6 through stretching them'beyondtheir elastic'limit. The means herein shown comprises a pair features ofthe invention; but in addition ,thereto I preferably employ means forpredrel 15, the inner end of which is preien ably flanged over the endcoil and the wire hooks 1st, as shown at 16.

In the idle or unstretched state of the' spring (3, the two hairpinmembers 12 are telescoped on each. other, with their closed ends lyingagainst or closely adjacent to the outer ends of the bushings ormandrels 15. hen the band is stretched, the two members 12 slideoutwardly relatively to each other, and when their closed ends come intocontact with each other the extensile limit of the band is obviouslyreached; and this limit is safely within the elastic limit of the coilsprings, so that no injury from overstretching can result to the latter.This fully stretched state of the band is illustrated in Fig. 2.

The specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and describedpossesses several advantages which give it a preferential character. Forinstance, the bead chain 5, forming the non-elastic sections of theband, rolls practically without friction over the sides and edges of thearticle embraced by the band, making it very easy of application andremoval, and the round form of the coupling member 7 co operates to thisend. Again, the internal stretch-limiting elements, being wholly housedwithin the springs and the coupling members are substantially invisibleand protected from breakage or other injury. However, it is manifestthat the particular form of the several elements, and the specificmanner and means of coupling the elastic and nonelastic elements may bevariously modified without departing from the spirit of the invention orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof, Hence, I reserve all suchvariations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purview ofthe appended claims.

I claim 1. An elastic band, comprising a pair of flexible non-elasticsections, a pair of elastic sections respectively interposed between theopposite ends of said non-elastic sections, and means for permanentlycoupling the meeting ends of said non-elastic and elastic sections.

2. An elastic band, comprising a pair of flexible non-elastic sections,a pair of elastic sections interposed between said nonelastic sections,means for coupling the meeting ends of said non-elastic and elasticsections, and means for limiting the stretch of said elastic sections.

3. A metal elastic band, comprising a pair oit chain sections, a pair oftensile coil spring sections respectively interposed between theopposite ends of said chain sections, and means for permanently couplingthe meeting ends of said chain and spring sections.

at. A metal elastic band, comprising a pair of chain sections, a pair oftensile coil spring sections, means for coupling the vmeeting ends ofsaid chain and spring sec tions, and means for limiting the stretch ofsaid. spring sections.

5. A metal elastic band, comprising a pair of chain sections, a pair oftensile coil spring sections, means for coupling the meeting ends ofsaid chain and spring sections, and means located within said springsect-ions and coupling members for limitig the stretch of said springsections.

6. A metal elastic band, comprising a pair of head chain sections, apair of tensile coil spring sections, and means for joining the meetingends of said sections comprising coupling sleeves each havingits endsembracing and swaged into gripping engagement with the meeting ends ofsaid sections.

7. A metal elastic band, comprising a pair of chain sections, a pair oftensile coil spring sections, means for coupling the meeting ends ofsaid chain and spring sections,

and stretch-limiting means comprising a pair of interlooped hairpinwires lying within said coil spring sections and anchored at their outerends in said coupling means.

8. A metal elastic band, comprising a pair of head chain sections, apair of tensile coil spring sections, means for joining the meet- .ingends of said sections comprising cou. pling sleeves each having its endsembracing and swa'ged into gripping engagement with the meeting ends ofsaid sections, and stretch-limiting means comprising a pair ofinterlooped hairpin wires lying within said coil spring sect-ions andanchored at their outer ends in said coupling sleeves.

GEORGE DEKOFF.

